Tesla no longer sells inventory / demo cars inside the EU. Apparently, due to a new rule enacted by Tesla EU management as of July 2017, I cannot buy a demo / inventory or CPO car inside the EU anymore. Previously, it was possible to buy demo and inventory cars from another EU country (new cars) and only CPO cars could not be purchased from another EU country.

The only possibility now is to buy a demo / inventory from your own country, which would be comparable to that you can only buy an inventory car from your own US state, not cross-state.

This new rule severely cripples the possibility to buy a Tesla in small countries such as Finland, where there is a very limited availability and market of Tesla inventory and CPO cars. Currently, due to the new rule, I cannot buy for example an inventory X or S P100D, because there are no such cars in Finland and you can't even get to test drive one. I have previously bought 2 inventory cars from another EU country through our local Finnish Tesla Store: one from Tilburg and one from Sweden. I have been a very happy and loyal customer.

I have owned several top-end Model S and X cars since 2014 and hold a Model 3 reservation since day 1. I am also a shareholder and Tesla enthusiast. I am extremely disappointed by this new rule that limits the free trade of Teslas inside the EU and the possibility to buy a inventory Tesla. Practically, the only choice in our country and other small EU countries is to buy a new custom-ordered car, which is not a possibility in a single-car household with children due to the delivery times. Also, since Teslas and other cars cost about 2x what they cost in the US due to our high taxes, one cannot buy a more-affordable discounted inventory Tesla.

I was looking forward to upgrading my AP1 XP90DL to a AP2 XP100DL for a reasonable price, but another Tesla car seems to be out of the question now. One would think that Tesla would be happy to sell me an inventory Model X P100D (or any other inventory car from another EU country), as this was still possible two months ago, but no. Our Finnish Tesla store (many thanks to them for their customer service!) tried to escalate the matter to top Tesla executives in Europe and apparently they said no: it is not possible to buy an inventory car from another EU country anymore. I can somehow understand the rule that CPO cars are not sold cross-border inside the EU, but new inventory cars should be sold as they have been until recently.

Finally, to add insult to injury: I have had 10+ referrals in total within several referral programs during the past year. However, I have not received a single referral reward (except the first program with 1000 euro/USD Tesla credits per referral), although the oldest (product) reward program was already almost a year ago. Upon contacting Tesla, Mr. William Masterson from the US referral program said there have been problems with deliveries. I'm not very satisfied with this response either and I'm not holding my breath, since how could it take almost a year to deliver a reward product?! My experience does not encourage me to refer anyone anymore. Very disappointed with how customer service seems to be deteriorating at Tesla during the past year.

SO |
August 30, 2017

Due to brexit?

rmg007 |
August 30, 2017

I don't have any specific information, but perhaps there was a change in EU laws that prohibits Tesla from selling CPO vehicles in other countries?

LegalCounsel |
August 30, 2017

Not due to brexit or any laws. It is just a business decision by Tesla management. I think it is a very short-sighted one that does not serve Tesla customers... I'm not sure why CPO cars were not sold cross-border at any point, but I guess that would make sense since they want to sell new cars (inventory or customer ordered). I don't know why they would not sell new (inventory) cars anymore.

LegalCounsel |
August 30, 2017

And I don't know how it can take almost a year to deliver referral program awards even if there really are problems.

Bitman |
August 30, 2017

My salesman in Sweden looked up inventory cars in other European countries when I signed up two weeks ago.
Didn't find anything suitable, so I have to wait for a custom build, but the option did seem to be available.

@SO - I'd love to blame all the world's woes on Brexit, but it doesn't take effect until March 2019. And since UK cars are right-hand-drive, I doubt they'd sell well in Finland.

LegalCounsel |
August 30, 2017

Thanks for the info Bitman. That seems strange that you would have had the possibility to buy a car cross-border. I think he was unaware of the new policy. Of course you can browse all of the cars online yourself and Tesla staff can see all of the cars, but they are not allowed to sell and deliver them cross-border anymore. That's very unfortunate since we have only about 2-4 inventory cars at any given time here in Finland and none of which interest me...

They tried to escalate the matter in Tesla management as high as they could go in Europe. I guess it would require Mr. Elon Musk or another highest-ranking director to change the stupid new rule and let us buy inventory cars freely here in Europe (as we used to).

LegalCounsel |
August 30, 2017

I don't think this new rule is a very positive thing for Tesla delivery numbers either.

SO |
August 30, 2017

@bitman - businesses don't have to wait until 2019 before taking action.

(Even though it would really seem odd for businesses to cut services early.)

kwen197 |
August 30, 2017

LegalCouncil: So do you think this new Tesla policy is aimed at Finland or the UK?

LegalCounsel |
August 30, 2017

This policy affects ALL European countries (EU), not just Finland!

Bitman |
August 31, 2017

SO - "(Even though it would really seem odd for businesses to cut services early.)"

Agreed - no reason to break existing links just yet, while there's still a bit more profit to be squeezed out of the UK before it goes bust. It's mainly the companies with a manufacturing base or regulated operations that are going to have to consider their positions and might have good reasons to pull out.
I think some of the panic has subsided since that year-old article, but I see no positive signs emerging.
Glad I don't live there any more!

p.c.mcavoy |
August 31, 2017

Some of the future issues around Brexit is not just for those with a manufacturing base there. One example in the automotive world is discussions whether EU contries will recongnized Euro 6/VI level certifications if the certification was done through a UK agent, and visa versa. For those not familiar with the process outside, in the US vehicle certification is done with actual government agencies (EPA and California ARB). For Euro certs, the certification approval is actually done through an independent agency. Prior to Brexit, a manufacturer could chose which agent they worked, say one based in the UK, and that approval was recognized by all of the other nations inside the EU. I've heard some discussion that this might impact not only new type approvals going forward, but even existing approvals, forcing manufacturers to potentially do multiple certs, iike must be done for some countries outside the EU even through they adopt what are essentially the common EU regulations (example: Brazil will only accept a cert done in the country through the Brazilian agency whereas Argentina will accept a generic EU cert).

Fun times may be ahead ....

Bitman |
September 1, 2017

@p.c.mcavoy - Yes, that's the kind of thing I meant by '...regulated operations...'.
Medical products are like that too, and EMEA is looking to relocate to remain in the EU.

UK will either have to set up new agencies for local approvals, and/or accept approvals made by EU agencies (so the complaint about being subject to externally imposed regulations becomes true for the first time), and possibly has to pay the EU for the use of their standards.